


C'est la vie

by joouheika



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F, Gen, Happy Birthday Levi!, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 13:45:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2852942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joouheika/pseuds/joouheika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren’s cousin Krista just had to come out on Christmas day. [modern AU]</p>
            </blockquote>





	C'est la vie

Everyone is looking at Krista.

There’d always been an underlying tension (among the adults) about her, being his Uncle Rod’s mistress’ (his mistress who is the maid, who still works in their house) daughter. But she’d been raised in the same household as his uncle’s legitimate children and everyone typically got along. It was always just the adults who seemed to have a problem with anything.

Like today.

They’d been sitting down for Christmas dinner (though it was early, only noon, as they typically had it) as they did together every year, when his parents and he came down from their small hometown in the mountains to visit his mother’s family in the city. Grace had been said. Frieda had just placed the duck she’d been slaving over onto the table and her brother Dirk was trying to one up her with his pork roast as they’d been competing for years, everyone’s mouth watering. The idle chat winding down as the meat was cut and portioned on to plates, the potatoes served, and other various side dishes being passed around along with bread- when someone, probably Frieda’s mother, says something rude about Krista’s guest Ymir who’d been coming over for Christmas in the recent years. It’s a not too kind quip about how alike mother and daughter are.

As Krista’s close schoolfriend… best friend… and apparently more than that.

Krista cannot let it go.

She had slammed both her hands on the table as she’d risen to her feet and decided then and there to tell everyone- that Ymir is her girlfriend and they’d been dating for some time.

All hell had broken loose.

Uncle Rod had stood up as well, to try to calm everyone, side conversations starting just as the arguing and yelling did, some crying. Eren’s father had told him his mother’s family are more… traditional about things than his family are. But his father’s side of the family lives far away. His mother’s family hadn’t much approved of him getting married to his mother to be honest and only recently had it seemed like he’d been accepted… considering there are more ‘dire’ matters to attend to as of recent. Like now. This matter.

Krista’s mom is screaming at Frieda’s mom, and their uncle, Rod’s older brother is the only one who’s not letting the meat cool and go to waste and must be the only one eating. Eren is happy to also follow his lead- only his father, Grisha stops him the moment Carla, his mother rises to _her feet_ and Eren feels sweat break out on the back of his neck because even when he’d tracked mud into the house after playing football in the autumn or snuck that dog into his room for a week, or gotten beaten up (but did a tremendously worse number) by those bullies at school that one year and that other year because they’d been saying shit about his childhood friend Armin had he _never seen her so angry_ when she’d turned to look directly at her brother Rod and-

Eren doesn’t know what his mother had said because his father had pulled him out of the dining room, dragging him by the shirt collar, frantically pulling his coat over him, and had stuffed what had to be more than enough marks in his pockets for bus fare to return home and back here again and so forth for more than a _week_ (and for a moment he contemplates seeing if there is a bus on this day, at this hour that can take him home and maybe he can go see Armin and his grandpa and they can even call Mikasa to see what she’s up to though she’d made plans with Annie she might have mentioned on second thought…), his father telling him that he should step out for a bit because this was going to be long and-

There is something his father doesn’t want him to know about his mother.

But obediently Eren does as he is told and steps out into town.

More concerned about how weird his father had started acting, sweating excessively, and patting his shoulder and his words not making much sense minus the he should go, babbling on no matter how this night ended that they would always be together and that this had no bearing-

Eren’s stomach growls.

Eren counts the money in his pockets and decides to go buy something to eat.

\--

The closest place to get something to eat is the grocery store down the street, run by the family of another of Krista’s friends, a Sasha Braus. She’s working the only register today, and the queue is long. Eren steps into it with his items. He’s picked up a few sandwiches, some apples, sad fare for Christmas day but also a cake from the bakery that’s also in the grocery store (and is actually more famous than the grocery store itself though both are one business), the cake is a bûche de Noël and he figures he’ll bring it home to share with everyone when tensions die down… if they die down. If not then he can just share it with his parents, he’s sure his father isn’t going to get away with letting him get away by his mother. Family matter is family matter.

He doesn’t mind waiting since Sasha is doing her best, to process everyone’s orders as quickly as possible, she definitely can’t wait for the store to close (as they are nearing to be as midday passes and evening will arrive in turn) so she can go home and either finish helping with the cooking or eating whatever it is her family has made already. Most likely they are only open today as either punishment for her or she’d lost a bet, her family is keen on that sorta thing…

She’s been doing well from how fast the queue is progressing but it comes to a definite halt as she has a problem with the current transaction… an expired item? A changed mind? Declined card? Eren looks over everyone else as everyone else behind him and in front of him is making a more discreet evaluation of the hold up. What could be causing the problem and how can it be fixed?

Eren’s stomach grumbles.

He sees Sasha’s smile turn into a frightened frown and the sweat on her brow is visible under the bright lights.

She’s shaking her head and pointing at whatever it is the customer is holding in his hand then shaking her hand as well. It looks like she’s apologising… and it looks like an apology not accepted as the customer who is holding up the queue insists on doing so, still holding out whatever is in his hand to her. Wrong currency? Fake money? Eren steps out of the queue to go walk over to stand behind the hold up customer. He’s almost an entire head shorter than him, but by his way of dress and the lines on his face he must be older than Eren… he’s dark haired, and smelling lightly of soap- Eren takes a breath and sees- 

It is a coupon in this man’s hand.

“Uhm, excuse me.”

Sasha’s attention bolts from the customer to Eren who is behind him. She looks at him worriedly at first before glancing back to the customer. Back to Eren.

“Ah, what is it Eren. I’m busy right now… oh did you come to buy some things? You’ll have to wait your turn-”

Eren interrupts her, shaking a hand and stepping aside the problem customer.

“Let me help you out Sasha, what’s the problem? This coupon is from your store isn’t it? Why can’t you accept it?”

“T-t-t-that’s what I have been e-e-explaining to this sir here, Eren, we cannot accept the coupon because it is expired!”

The customer is looking at both of them, glancing with only his eyes but not bothering to turn his head.

“Seriously?” Eren says.

Eren turns to the customer, who’s looking at him wholly now, expression almost entirely blank minus the vague… curiosity. An almost cool look, it reminds Eren a little of Mikasa and he feels himself frown. Looking more at him… Eren thinking he is not as old as Eren had first surmised from his faulty angles.

“May I see your coupon sir?”

The customer hands him the coupon, telling Eren-

“She says it’s expired and I suppose I should accept that but there’s no date and I ain’t got enough to pay without it.”

Eren looks the coupon over and indeed there’s no date… however in the corner, that Sasha is pointing at, shaking her head furiously… exasperatedly, you could see that a tiny tear had been made, that must have been where the expiry date had been. But it was so small the date must have been printed very small to begin with. And where it was placed it was impossible not to tear the date off from the booklet the coupons came in. Eren feels a little like Armin now having figured it out. 

An expired coupon is expired, Sasha could get in trouble for accepting it, her family is tight about their rules… or rather she in particularly likes to follow them to a t; Eren had met her father he was more lenient than he appeared despite his disciplinary tactics. But how had this situation really come to be?

“Sasha… Connie made these coupons didn’t he?”

Connie who is into computers and the like and had gotten a new printer, Sasha’s schoolfriend who loves to play football with her and go horseback riding in the countryside when they can. Best of buds, probably wanted to help her with her family’s store and so…

“That’s exactly correct,” Sasha replies, a brow twitching as the tears at the edges of her eyes speak of some regret.

Eren sighs and hopes his stomach doesn’t grumble again.

When he looks at Sasha, his eyes determined, she picks up on his look instantly and attentive to him, like two wolves of the same pack stalking the same deer, Sasha understands what Eren means to do next as he places his items with the coupon customer’s items.

Eren fishes both his hands into both his pockets and brings out all the crumpled marks his father had given him.

“How much does he owe you still with what he’s got and without the coupon then?”

Sasha rings up Eren’s items with the customer’s and accepts what money the customer has and then shows Eren the remaining total.

\--

Snow is starting to fall lightly atop the already fallen snow their footsteps crunch over as Eren follows the coupon customer out of the grocery store. Carrying some of his grocery bags along with the food and cake Eren had purchased; the amount Eren had had to spend to pay for the rest of this guy’s groceries had been nearly all that he had. What sort of fancy meal this man wants to cook up will surely befit the holiday.

The troublesome customer had offered to Eren, and considering it looked like he was just going to be eating sandwiches otherwise, to come over for dinner as thanks for paying for…. half of it.

That is what he’d said but Eren is under the impression he’d also just wanted help carrying all his stuff home since he didn’t bother to take a car as he “lives close” despite it being rather cold out and he’d wanted to buy so much. Already scheming good deeds from the young folk, that is what Eren is thinking of this older man whose groceries he’d nearly almost _all_ paid for. Though he supposes that’s what he gets for offering, and it is Christmas. Doing a good deed now is especially… good right? And besides it’s nice to help someone out… even if they don’t appear like they appreciate it all too much, but that might have just been on account of the way this guy’s face is. Eren had thought he is rather like Mikasa.

Eren hefts up the bags though they aren’t too heavy, the lucky shopper, Eren’s recipient of his ultra good deed, is carrying the heavier bags it seems, but with much more ease than Eren is carrying these lighter bags. This man may be short but his clothing and coat looks bulky on his small frame, suggesting more muscle than one would expect.

They pass by the Christmas market that Eren is surprised the man doesn’t go into considering he chose to walk home instead of taking a bus or his car. Eren looks over the vibrant market in passing, it’s busier as families have finished unwrapping gifts and eaten a meal and wish to go out to spend time together.

Eren has to run a few steps to catch up with the man-

“Hey Eren.”

Is what he says, glancing back.

Eren halts his steps in vague surprise.

“How-“

“Do I know your name? It’s what that cashier called you right? So it’s your name.”

Eren resumes walking when the man doesn’t relent his steps.

“What a kind kid you are. Helping pay for a strangers’ groceries and even helping him carrying them home, accepting his invitation for dinner… without knowing even so much as his name.”

Eren feels his ears grow hot, that typically only happens when he’s lying or when he’s really embarrassed.

“That’s not-”

“You don’t know my name do ya? So everything I’ve said is true.”

Eren hopes steam can’t be seen coming from how hot his ears and now face feels. So what if he just wanted to do something nice? Of course an adult would ridicule him even for that. He’s completely silent until he notices that the man has finally stopped and so Eren had just stepped one step ahead of him- the snow unexplainably louder, heard as such in the sudden silence as the market falls behind them- distant as the activity on the street they’d been taking-

“It’s Levi.”

Eren has turned to look at the man… the ungrateful, problem coupon customer.

“…Mr Levi?”

Levi shifts with no difficulty at all, all the bags he’d been carrying to one hand. And holds out his free hand to Eren. Black wool gloves cover them, and Eren reaches, with a bag still over his wrist, his own hands bare and red from the cold, shaking Levi’s hand- it’s very warm and Eren wishes he’d brought his own gloves.

“Nice to meet you Eren. Thanks for helping me back there.”

Eren is red all over.

“No, it wasn’t a problem.”

Levi nods, then let’s go of his hand, after drawing it forth with him momentarily before he resumes his lead. Eren follows after, flexing his fingers, thinking he’ll definitely not forget his gloves next time he goes out.

\--

They have to go up many stairs to reach Levi’s flat. Levi presses his fingers against the doorpost then presses those fingers to his lips. Eren thinks he reads a relief to finally be home on Levi’s face but he might just be putting too much thought into the no longer that much of a stranger’s actions. They wipe their feet on the mat outside and Levi toes his shoes off upon entering. Eren is surprised to see Levi had not been wearing socks though he’d worn gloves. Levi tells him to take his shoes off too as Eren almost follows closely after him into his kitchen, a new habit, as he’d been following Levi all this time.

After he takes his shoes off and kicks them to the side, together (this reminds him of Mikasa’s house) he rounds the corner through the hall, into the living room- to where Levi is, in the kitchen putting away the groceries. Eren puts his cake in the fridge and his to be eaten later than planned sandwiches and turns to try to help put away more items but considering this isn’t his home and he doesn’t know where anything is or where anything should go- he is quickly and annoyedly shooed out from the kitchen. Told to sit on the sofa and watch TV or something as Levi takes care of everything.

Eren does as he’s told again. Awkwardly sitting on the sofa he flicks the TV on with the remote. Glancing about the house more as he does so. Everything is pristine, all the linen around the house pearly white, every counter and shelf dusted, every window and glass on the china cabinet clear as crystal. The kitchen had looked clean too, not a speck of dirt or stain of grease anywhere. The shelves in the fridge had all been organized and nothing seemed crooked or not to have its own place.

Being in such an ordered place like this, thinking on his room back home that could be worse (his mother who always complained about it had never seen Armin’s room, a haven that only Armin knows where anything is underneath papers and books and more books and a ton of blankets they love to build forts with as kids and even now) Eren can’t help but feel ironically, a little out of place. He sits stiffly on the sofa though it’s rather cushiony and flicks through the few channels there are, stopping on the news to hear about the Christmas festivities he isn’t participating in… looking around the living room some more he realises there isn’t a tree- he wonders if Levi doesn’t have any family to spend Christmas with since he hasn’t bothered at all with decorating, and even invited some kid he’d just met in the grocery store over-

Levi has finished putting away the groceries and Eren had heard the clank of pots and pans, the stove top turned on and the chopping of vegetables, running water and it boiling, a kettle going off- distantly through his surveying of Levi’s home from his spot on the sofa. Figuring Levi would cook, they’d eat and that’d be that. But Levi has taken a small break in his cooking to bring out a tray loaded with some tea things, to set out from it, a cup of tea for Eren along with a plate of cookies- triangular and folded within themselves, a dark jam at the centre.

Eren thanks Levi and devours the entire plate ravenously (once Levi has returned to the kitchen) only worrying about the crumbs after they’re all over him… and some on the rug on the floor. It’s a bridge he’ll burn when he gets to it, for now hopefully his guest status would save him from impending displeasure at his mess.

Eren wipes his mouth with the napkin provided and gets up from watching the TV to look over at the bookshelf, heavily loaded that’s by the TV, a few books from the shelf missing and on the coffee table, this morning’s paper draped over the volumes. Aside the sofa there’s a chair beneath a lamp, specifically and more often used, for reading huh… Eren looks over the books and sees if there’s anything he’s familiar with given Armin might have read it or read it to him or let him borrow… his best friend Armin is very well read.

Nothing seems to strike him as terribly familiar, and some titles he cannot read being in French instead of German, one book he thinks he might know he’s about to pull out when he turns on hearing the rustling of paper. Levi is sitting in his reading chair, going back to where he’d left off from this morning.

Not so much as sparing Eren a glance even though he’d jumped, heart thumping in embarrassment, to have strayed from his assigned spot on the sofa. Eren returns to it and flicks through the channels again more to show he is indeed using the TV, but he just returns to the news again. He watches it, watching Levi more through the corner of his vision as Levi continues reading the paper, his feet in slippers, a cup of tea also at hand that he sips from periodically. Eren looks away from him every time he gets back up to go into the kitchen to finish up whatever it was he is cooking.

There seems to be many steps in the recipes and with the time it’s taking, the lights needing to be turned on, those cookies being forever ago, and the delicious smell that wafts through the whole house from the cooking makes Eren’s stomach grumbles louder than it’d had in the grocery store.

“Eren.”

Eren jumps, wondering if Levi thought his hunger rude.

“What is it Mr Levi?”

“Dinner is taking longer to cook than I thought it would. Sometimes you just don’t know how long it’ll take until you’re cooking. Would you like to stay the night after you eat should it come to that? Is there anyone you need to call? Like your family or something? It’s an important day isn’t it? Do you wanna use my phone?”

Bombarded by questions Eren takes some time to reply affirmative to all.

Eren gets up from his seat and looks from where Levi is leaning against the side of the entrance way of and pointing, to the phone back through the hall to the front door.

Eren nods and disappears back there to call Armin and wish him Merry Christmas again. Before he’d left with his family that morning he’d exchanged gifts with him and Mikasa. Armin would be spending his Christmas with his grandfather as always and Mikasa was spending hers with her family. Both are his childhood friends and they met before he left every year before his descent down the mountains, he’d be gone until the New Year. Mikasa always got sad about that but Annie would be with her wouldn’t she? Annie is their classmate, she’d typically hung out with her cousins Reiner and Bertholdt but the two of them had moved to the city this year and she was having a hard time without them though she didn’t express it at all. Just like how she didn’t share how close she is with Mikasa in reality, they were always competing, in academics, sports, though the both of them would never admit it. What else were they not admitting?

Eren also asks Armin that if his parents call him to please tell them that he’d gotten a ride back up into the mountains and is staying with Armin but would come back down in the morning or something. Armin is already flipping through the bus schedule to see if that’s a plausible and more realistic means of transportation than hitchhiking. Eren trusts in Armin to make the lie sound as plausible as possible though telling the lie itself might be a bit hard for Armin- who can’t ask Mikasa to do it. Eren contemplates calling Mikasa too and does so. She’s quiet and reserved on the phone which could only mean she’s happy he’d called to wish her a Merry Christmas again. He asks about Annie and if she liked the gift and Mikasa becomes a little curt then which Eren takes as his cue to say good night.

It didn’t feel all too long a conversation and he hopes the phone bill won’t be high, though for those groceries… as he walks back into the living room Levi calls for him to come into the kitchen.

Thinking the food is done Eren walks in, his stomach grumbling again.

Levi points to the table and asks him to set it. Telling him exactly where and how he wants the table set, already he’s set out a table cloth atop it, different from the one before, it’s a little fancier, with roses embroidered on the sides. Eren wonders if it’s really ok to eat on such a table cloth and if he might die before the night is over should he inevitably inflict a stain.

The table is set, with some modifications. Eren isn’t at all offended when Levi rearranges the dishes at the place Eren sits at- with a placemat. He can eat with more ease like that, though with the amount of cutlery there is he isn’t sure he knows enough manners to eat with all of them.

Maybe he shouldn’t be sitting, but helping more. Levi tells him to sit when he sees him start to rise, carrying in oven mitted hands a hot and must have been cooking this whole while, even while Levi was away at the Braus’ Grocery- a beef brisket. On a tray for easy cutting but separated from the juices it’d been cooking in. Eren’s whole mouth fills with saliva on the up close smell and sight of it. He has to swallow it back as Levi returns with even more dishes. Putting on the table, a vegetable soup, chopped steamed carrots, roasted potatoes shiny with oil and thick with herbs, braided bread with poppy seeds coating it, and fish heads stuffed with a whole bunch of stuff that must be delicious from how good it smells. The table set, Eren looks attentively at Levi who also sits down. But gets back up returning with a bottle of dark… it’s grape juice. Being considerate to him is he? Is what Eren is thinking. Eren looks to Levi expectantly who motions for Eren to help himself but seeing Eren fidget, unable to choose what to start with first. Levi takes up the carving knife and they start with the brisket.

\--

Even though Eren is so full he’s not sure if he will ever be able to move again, he can’t help but think on how good the food was, even trumping over Frieda’s duck and Dirk’s pork roast. This must be what cooking is like to the experienced, what only time has granted. Levi says a few words Eren figures he’s too full to understand because they did not sound like German to him at all, before rising to take up the dirty and empty dishes. He tries to stand to help Levi with this task but Levi tells him to sit. He’d been telling him that a lot tonight.

Eren is still sitting at the table, wondering if he’d eaten too fast and if there is still anything on his face he hasn’t gotten off, listening to the water run and the china clink as Levi washes everything with a speed and efficiency his mother would even be amazed at.

Levi is removing the rubber gloves from his hands, washing his hands when he turns to ask Eren something, about tonight but sees Eren has finally managed to leave his seat.

Eren had remembered.

He’d bought a cake.

He sets it on the table and opens up the box.

Levi walks over and stands aside Eren, both looking at the cake.

“My thanks for such a good meal!”

“Oh?” Levi replies, folding his arms, “Enjoyed it that much did you?”

“Yes sir, everything was exquisite.”

“Pretty talk from such a mouth that’d been having food shoveled into it like you’d been starving. Your parents don’t feed you? You’re rather thin.”

“I’m still growing,” Eren replies, his mother sometimes got exasperated at how much he ate.

Levi looks over at him, up and down.

“I suppose that must be it. I ate a lot too and I’ve long stopped growing. So what is it? This cake?”

Eren starts at the sudden change in topic though that’s where they’d been from the start.

“It’s a bûche de Noël sir. A Yule log!”

“I know what cake it is, but what’s in it is what I’d like to know.”

Eren muses about it before counting off his fingers- “What’s in it? Well this one is flavoured coffee, and there’s chocolate, cream… what usually goes in cakes, flour, milk and eggs…”

Levi looks like he’s thinking.

“Very well then. I will make an exception for today. Since you lugged it all the way over here and offered me some. Besides I’d not bothered to get a cake myself, which makes a rather shabby birthday don’t it?”

Levi has walked away and is getting down clean plates for the cake.

Eren stuttering- “B-birthday sir? It’s your birthday? You were born on Christmas!?”

Levi looks over to him, not in the least bit fazed by his surprise- “Is it really that weird?”

“No, not at all. Lots of people are born today,” Eren replies, bringing his hands up about his chest before him, clenching and unclenching his hands in embarrassment, “It’s just… it must be weird to celebrate Christmas and your birthday on the same day right?”

“Not at all,” Levi replies and Eren feels stupid.

Levi continues.

“I don’t celebrate Christmas considering I’m Jewish so that’s why it’s not an issue for me.”

Eren feels even more stupid and his ears turn red again, with his face.

That was why Levi didn’t have a Christmas tree, why he didn’t bother with the market, why he was so adamant about the coupon- wait wait wait that was stereotyping he mustn’t do that- Levi is a little amused at the range of emotions that are flitting across Eren’s face right now, all increasing forms of shame at his own inattentiveness.

“That’s not to say there aren’t Jews who celebrate Christmas, it is a rather accessible holiday especially in this country and who doesn’t like to get more gifts. But I’ve never thought to bother with it on account of my birthday.”

Levi sets out the plates and goes to pick out a different knife than the one he’d used to cut the brisket though that knife has been cleaned already and easier to reach.

“It’s actually convenient. Since everyone is busy celebrating Christmas today, no one is bothering me to celebrate _my_ birthday with me. I have some nosy colleagues who are getting drunk at all sorts of parties right now that I don’t have to deal with on a day I very much would fucking hate having to deal with that.”

Eren is frowning, “Do you dislike your colleagues that much?”

“No, some are rather reliant and I wouldn’t mind having over but quite the opposite can be said about some others. Such is usually the case.”

Levi is about to cut the cake but-

“Candles!” Eren suddenly exclaims turning to Levi who looks at him a little surprised.

“Since…” Eren says, and then rather insistently, “since the Christmas cake has to be your birthday cake it should have candles Mr Levi. Do you have any?”

Levi is looking at him, contemplating, his eyes running over his face, his mouth, his throat, his almost heaving chest- “I have some,” he replies.

He steps into the living room and from a menorah Eren had just thought a rather gaudy candle holder, Levi plucks a candle from and returns to the kitchen. Eren stuttering again.

“A-a-a-re you sure it’s okay to do that Mr Levi?!”

Levi is looking at him like he’s stupid and Eren resumes feeling so.

“If it weren’t would I have done it?” Levi pushes the candle into the cake, a little more forcefully than is necessary and moves to rummage around a drawer for matches, which Eren holds his hand out for. It’d be wrong for Levi to have to light the candle to his birthday cake.

The candle lit, Eren looks to Levi expectantly, only to see Levi is looking at him and looking in the same manner (well as much as could be for him).

“Well,” Levi says, head titling a little to the side, “Aren’t you going to sing me happy birthday then Eren?”

“What? Sing? ME?” Eren is pointing at himself and Levi crosses his arms.

“That’s right. It’s my birthday, there’s a cake and candle, what else is there to be? Singing.”

Eren is wringing his hands, worriedly biting at a knuckle which draws Levi’s gaze to it, abrupt and alarming, that Eren self conscious now, brings it away from his mouth, though Levi is still looking there.

“Do you really want me to sing that badly?”

“You insisted on the candle didn’t you?”

“That’s true sir, but… it’s embarrassing by myself.”

“Shall I sing with you?”

“That’d be silly!” 

“Any more silly than putting a candle for Hanukkah on a Christmas cake for my birthday?”

Eren can’t win.

His voice wobbles and he isn’t so good a singer to begin with, but he sings Levi Happy Birthday, forgetting to attach Mister to Levi’s name as he sings it and feeling even more embarrassed on account of that, he’s never sung the birthday song alone and to anyone this older than him aside his parents, so a prefix feels wrong though he should have attached it…

Levi blows out the candle and turning to Eren, picking up the knife again.

“You’re such a damn kid, but a good one.”

As they eat the cake together, in the middle of it Levi rises to go get another bottle of dark… it’s not grape juice this time. Eren’s heart is thudding in his chest as Levi sets down the wine glasses and pours into them from the bottle, the dark red liquid.

“You’re at least of drinking age right?”

Eren is nodding though it’s a lie, next year he’d be able to. Right before spring-

Levi doesn’t ask any more about it. Saying a brief prayer over the wine with words Eren hadn’t recognized as Hebrew before. Eren swirls the wine in his cup a little before looking down into it, sniffing at it.

Hesitant to take a sip with Levi watching him, the cake on his plate half eaten. Eren is already ready for another slice.

“Is it not delicious sir?” Eren is asking Levi, glancing at his plate. Levi is looking at Eren, not bothering to follow Eren’s gaze.

“I’m not sure. I’m not used to eating this sort of thing. But it’s… boring to not try new things, and wrong to waste food, especially when they look delicious.”

Eren nods.

Levi is encouraging him to drink the wine isn’t he?

Eren presses the glass to his lips and sips shyly, brow furrowing at the taste, he sips at it again, again, until he determines he doesn’t dislike it. When he glances over to Levi and sees Levi has been watching him attentively, he downs the rest of his glass.

Levi takes up the bottle.

“Care for another Eren?”

\--

He doesn’t remember exactly what Levi said or maybe it was just how he said it but it’d been really funny.

Almost as funny as a joke Reiner might have made, or Armin would under his breath, whatever it’d been Eren is laughing so hard he loses his breath and is having a hard time catching it again. They’re both sitting on the sofa, some movie is on at this late hour that they’d turned the volume down on, not really watching it but not having anything better to do but not wanting to sleep just yet. The wine had been good and they drank the whole bottle. Levi is fine, completely unaffected but this had been Eren’s first time drinking so much. He’d only been allowed sips on special occasions and maybe a small glass on Christmas but he’d certainly had more than one small glass tonight.

Levi’s arm is thrown over the top of the sofa as he sits not in his reading chair like before but aside Eren whose cheeks are flushed. He apologises for laughing so much, considering he can’t recall why it was he’d been laughing. Levi is leaning close to him, enough to smell the alcohol on his breath and enough for Eren to smell that scent of soap he’d caught back at the grocery store.

There’s something else with it, brought from the activity of the day, sweat, the work from the kitchen, Eren can hear his heart pounding as he thinks about how much he likes this arrangement of smells. He inhales deeply and draws his face closer, his cheek at Levi’s shoulder as he lays it down there, turning his face to press his nose against Levi’s neck.

He feels Levi’s hands at his shoulders.

Pushing him away.

“Eren.”

“Yes Levi.”

Levi doesn’t answer for a moment though Eren had answered right away. Forgetting mister and sir momentarily.

“Wanna go to bed?”

Eren thinks about it, glancing at one of Levi’s hands, touching his hand there a moment, drawing it back down.

“Yes sir.”

Levi stands up from the sofa and pulls Eren to his feet. Standing there, he draws Eren’s hands into his and feels at them, rubbing them.

“Your hands are still cold? I thought the house would be warm enough. I figured the tea would help too.”

“They’re fine,” Eren hears himself reply, “They’ve always been like that.”

That’s not true.

“I’ve always had cold hands sir.”

Why is he saying this? To make Levi feel better? That’s dumb. Levi is going to know right away how dumb it is the thing he said since whose hands are cold all the time? Like summer never comes?

“If you’re so worried then you can just keep holding them. Your hands are warm Mr Levi.”

Eren recalls the handshake and nods in affirmative to himself. Drawing his hands back within Levi’s grasp and twining their fingers, pressing his palms to Levi’s to feel how warm without the glove.

“It feels really good like this.”

Levi’s hands tighten over Eren’s, gripping.

“Are you really so cold still Eren? I’ve got a good idea, care to try it out?”

Eren tightens his hands over Levi’s.

“It’s your birthday so we can do whatever you want.”

\--

Levi is certain there isn’t any prayer he can say to cleanse any of his current, reckless actions.

He calls them reckless but they have been calculative this whole while. Careful and measured. Since that moment Eren had stepped in aside him at the grocery store and a face was put to his voice. Beautiful, familiar- Levi hadn’t been sure he should go through with it until he’d seen Eren’s expression, on asking him if he had any candles, for his so called ‘birthday cake’. It’d been damn cute, and he really is a good kid, who gives this much a shit about someone they only just met? And had foot the bill for; this kid had just wanted to eat a couple sandwiches for whatever reason he wasn’t eating his Christmas dinner at home. Levi wonders about that, with the amount of money Eren had in his pockets it might be plausible he’d ran away from home and had stolen all he could before he left... but if he was running away he wouldn’t have stopped by in a place he is known right? Maybe he’d been kicked out, but it doesn’t seem that way at all. Though when he’d used Levi’s phone Levi had eavesdropped to hear whoever Eren had been talking to; it couldn’t have been his folks from his manner of speaking.

He’s also certain this is not what Eren meant when he’d told Levi he could do whatever he wants on account of it’s his birthday.

Levi is washing Eren’s hair as they sit in the bath together, the whole bathroom is steamy from how much hotter than usual Levi had made the water on account of Eren. Eren’s hands and the rest of him can’t be cold like this. He’s sighing in pleasure at Levi’s fingers massaging his scalp, his eyes closed tight. Eren’s eyelashes dark and long on his cheeks. Levi bites on his lower lip momentarily, to stifle the groan he’d otherwise let out. 

Maybe he’d made the water too hot, a cold shower would have served him better, he should have just set up Eren a place to sleep on his couch, or in his bed while he took the couch instead of directing him to this and tempting himself further. Eren is more than a little drunk and as Levi had told him earlier, stupidly trusting of someone he just met. Levi had been warning him and checking himself then, but Eren had still come into his home, had eaten his food (dinner had been torture, how eagerly Eren had ate, everything he put in his mouth pure bliss to him- it’d made Levi feel he wants to feed Eren more, every day). Allowing himself to be washed and touched by Levi. 

All Levi can think about is cumming inside Eren. Eren’s voice had cracked a little when he’d sang to him, would it crack when Levi takes him in his bed, against the sofa, on the floor, over the kitchen table, in this very bathtub- now? How would it feel with Eren’s warmed fingers over his arms, across his back, his panting breath of earlier back at his ear, at his throat. Levi had heard Eren inhale his scent, the expression he made as if he’d never smelled anything more pleasant had made Levi’s blood hot.

Maybe that was why Eren kept saying his hands are warm, it’s because he had met Eren, and Eren is here, cute Eren- Levi thinks maybe he might be a little drunk too, though the wine can’t be all to blame, who falls this fast, in less than one day for someone they just met? It’s so fucking funny, Levi wants to laugh. A chuckle dies in his throat, unlikely to have made it out anyway when Eren suddenly arches his back and pushes his head back to feel Levi’s fingers better and instead that groan of before makes it out past Levi’s lips.

Levi uses the shower head to rinse Eren’s hair. Eren shakes the water from his eyes before moving the damp locks of hair that’d fallen over them, turning around to tell Levi, with his face too close again, his mouth near his throat as Eren leans against him-

“Let me do you.”

Levi clutches at the sides of Eren’s arms.

He swallows before speaking.

“Do what Eren?”

“Wash your hair. Like you did for me. I can do it. Let me do it Mr Levi.”

“It’s fine. Eren. Leave it be.”

Aggravated to be turned down as such, Eren is pouting, he probably typically doesn’t do it anymore, such a childish thing, a boy who drinks wine like that wants to grow up already. Wants to be a man. Levi thinks about making Eren a man here and feels his cock grow harder than it already is, he’s flipping the water to the turned off shower head to fully cold as Eren insists, as he had with the candle- a hand at his chest as he says-

“But it’s your birthday. Shouldn’t you get a present?”

“You’ve already done enough, Mr Do Gooder.”

Eren is not amused by this sudden nickname, or being called mister. It’s a little funny.

His tone is almost scolding.

“The food? But I helped you out even though I didn’t know it is your birthday, that doesn’t count.”

Levi can think of over a hundred other things he’d like to have as a present, all involving Eren doing something for him. But instead, he turns around in the water-

“Then how about you wash my back?”

Eren must be thinking about if he wants to or not, but not for too long given the state he’s in. When Levi hears the splash of water, the fall of drops as water drips from Eren’s hand back to its main body. Eren’s taken up a sponge, some soap. He feels Eren wash his back, as efficiently as possible, covering as much as he can and scrubbing as hard as he can, he’s panting a little from the amount of effort he’s putting into it. Levi glancing back to see Eren’s brow furrowed and absolute on the task he has undertaken.

Levi considers telling him to be a little gentler about it when Eren suddenly stops scrubbing. Levi sees Eren is biting at his bottom lip, feels the tips of Eren’s fingers skim over his soaped up back hesitantly, feeling the shapes of the muscles there. Eren looks on in amazement.

“So hard. Big. With muscles like these you really could have carried all those bags by yourself couldn’t you? You didn’t need me…”

Eren is trailing his fingers over Levi’s back, feeling all he likes of it, no longer washing it. A sigh of envy and admiration.

Levi can’t take it anymore. He turns on the showerhead and rinses his own back, some of the cold water getting on Eren, startling him. 

Levi leaves the bath and pulls Eren out from it without a word, carrying on as such as he fetches some towels, barely drying the both of them off, another towel for Eren’s hair he’s trying to hurriedly dry as Eren asks him if Levi is angry at him for suddenly touching his back like that even though he’d been told only to wash it, something about how he couldn’t help it. He’d been curious. Levi decides the same could be said about him as he asks Eren, if Eren thinks he shouldn’t be angry since it’s not nice to suddenly touch or be touched is it? As he finally draws Eren’s attention to the erection he’s had all this while, grabbing at Eren’s very warm hand and directing it to touch and fist over his cock. He wraps his hand over Eren’s and holds it there, making him pump him, touch him, stroke him. Eren doesn’t try to pull his hand away, saying something about how this muscle is even harder than the muscle on his back. Eren’s touch on his cock is the same has it had been on his back.

Levi buries the fingers of his unoccupied hand into Eren’s hair, pushing Eren’s face down towards his, Levi presses his mouth over Eren’s, kissing him. Watching as Eren closes his eyes, feels Eren’s other hand trapped between their bodies as Levi sticks his tongue in Eren’s mouth and feels his moan as he sucks at a lip, draws back, and kisses more, bites-

Eren is shuddering against him. Levi kicks Eren’s feet from beneath him and carries him through the chilly hall to his bedroom where he lays Eren facedown upon his bed, before climbing atop of him, looking at Eren’s back as he does so, eyes quick to adjust from the bright white light of the bathroom to the moonlight coming through windows, curtains drawn from them. Stars barely visible in the city, Eren seems a little distraught on seeing such a black sky as Levi flips him over onto his back he kisses him again and Eren wraps his arms over his shoulders, drawing Levi to him, eager and warm, his tongue touching Levi’s as they taste each other. Levi’s fingers are in his hair again and he’s moaning into Levi’s mouth.

Levi moves his mouth to kiss at Eren’s cheek, his neck and throat, his chest, working his way down Eren’s body, leaving an assortment of marks everywhere that Eren begins to squirm about, once Levi reaches his cock and kissing it begins to suck him off. Eren is fully erect once Levi takes his mouth from it and kissing the sides of Eren’s thighs also bites at them. Heart throbbing when Eren gives a small start on feeling his teeth.

His hands are gripping onto the bedding.

“Mr Levi, please come back up here.”

“Why? It’s my birthday. Didn’t you say I could do whatever I want?”

Levi finally asks, probably an attempt at being decent, but with Eren splayed out like this in his bed he doesn’t really give a fuck anymore.

Levi stands up from where he’d been on his knees before Eren, between his legs as Eren tries to shut them, drawing them up from what dangles over the bed, his feet sliding across the bedding, toes clenching against the bedding too when Levi skims his hands over the tops of Eren’s thighs. Knuckles skimming barely against the underside of his cock as Levi wedges his hands between Eren’s thighs.

Levi continues.

“Eren, didn’t you say that you hadn’t given me a present? How about I settle for you then? As my gift.”

Eren looks confused, a little, before- “Understood sir. If you would have me I don’t mind being your present.”

Eren spreads his legs- then reaches with his hands to part his ass cheeks to invite Levi to enter him. Eren’s hole still a little moist from the bath- but it’s not enough. Levi goes through a drawer at his nightstand, looking for lube and once slicking himself up returns to Eren who pulls him back to him, shivering at the touch of Levi’s cold lube slicked fingers inside him, clutching onto Levi all the while, harder when Levi enters him, crying out, voice cracking as Levi wanted it to when he starts to move. Hunched over Eren and knees hard against the mattress as Eren’s legs fold up about his hips, his heels digging into Levi’s back to bring him further inside him. The lashes of his eyes darker than that night sky as his eyes flutter open and shut on the first few thrusts. Levi doesn’t understand how Eren could ever feel cold with how hot it is inside him.

It feels so good, Levi isn’t sure for how long he fucks Eren, only that Eren’s voice is hoarse when Eren arches his back again, pushing his stomach against Levi’s and he cums heavily between them. Entire body darkly flushed, the sweat slick on both of them. Levi watches Eren’s face as he struggles not to fall asleep as Levi still pounds into him, only satisfied when Eren’s flesh feels near feverish in his embrace does Levi cum inside him.

Levi draws the blankets over them, another bath (and some laundry) is in order come tomorrow.

Eren has wrapped his arms over his shoulders again, breathing in his scent heavily, since it’s laden with the smell of his sweat again. With Levi still inside him Eren tells him-

“This still isn’t fair Mr Levi, it’s your birthday and here I’m the one receiving all the gifts.”

Levi decides he will not let Eren sleep just yet.

\--

It is late noon when Eren finally wakes up. The headache he has receding a little at the comfort he feels lying down here, in a bed.

Levi is still sleeping aside him, rather, around him. Clutching Eren to him, it’s very warm in Levi’s arms and Eren is drifting back to sleep again when he realises.

They’re both naked.

Why are they both naked?

Why is anyone naked?

He’s suddenly very awake and thinking, thinking, eyes wide open, wracking his brain for memories- remembers last night. He’d met Levi at the grocery store, his family had been fighting, Levi had used up all his money, Levi was really good at cooking, he didn’t like the cake, they’d drank wine, that movie was some crappy horror movie that shouldn’t have been playing right after Christmas- they’d gotten into the bath then-

Levi who had been awake but was content on lying next to Eren longer, opens his eyes when Eren steals all the blankets and has buried himself inside them, huddled beneath them- a low disbelieving wail leaving his throat.

Levi sits up, cold now, annoyed that Eren didn’t leave him himself or a single blanket in his rush to hide in his shame. There’s no point, when he’d been so shameless last night.

“Eren.”

No response.

“Eren.”

Once again zero answer.

“Hey, Eren.”

He sees Eren flinch beneath the blankets, had he really not heard him previously or is only now feeling guilty for ignoring him? Probably both.

Levi finally approaches the pile of blankets that is Eren.

“Typically people don’t have to unwrap their presents again once they’ve already done it, Eren.”

Eren peaks his head out, a look of utmost horror on his face. He’s embarrassed out of his mind.

“Please stop saying my name so much Mr Levi!”

“Oh? Why? I quite like saying it, just as I like hearing you say my name. It’s not bad.”

Eren is back under the blankets.

Muffled Levi hears.

“That’s so embarrassing. You weird old man… Mr Levi.”

Levi doesn’t appreciate being called an old man though it had just been his birthday.

It’s a big bundle he draws into his lap, wrapping his arms around Eren’s body through the blankets. Eren peaks his face out of them again to turn and glance over at what Levi is doing. Everything is more embarrassing now that he isn’t so drunk and it’s sunlight that’s pouring through the windows.

“Won’t you come out Eren? We need to take another bath and you will help me clean the bedding.”

“W-w-what’s with that demanding attitude sir? I only just woke up.”

“You slept the morning away. We don’t have much time now.”

Eren has turned back forward from looking at Levi and is contemplating.

“Hurry up and make up your mind Eren.”

“What did I say about saying my name so much sir?”

“You’re mine now so your name is mine as well, I can say it all I like then can’t I?”

Eren is covering his face, relenting his hold on the blankets, they fall about his waist. Eren lowers his hands about to draw the blankets back up over him when he sees all the marks Levi has left all over his body-

Levi watching Eren’s face all the while as he stills completely.

“What did I tell you. Eren.”

It takes a little more time in the blankets and some kisses and the promise of bagels to convince Eren the day must begin.

After changing, Levi finding clothes that might be big enough for Eren to wear for now. Them settling on a shirt a little too short and trousers a little too tight as well (Levi isn’t complaining). They eat a brief breakfast where Eren refuses to drink anything that’s offered to him that’s originally from a bottle, but tea is alright (he’d asked if there was coffee but Levi had made a face at him, no wonder he didn’t care for the bûche de Noël, the one Eren had bought had been coffee flavoured).

Eren does indeed help Levi with the cleaning. Eren beating the bedding with more energy than Levi thought he could have on account of last night.

When Levi mentions this he has to stop Eren from burying himself in the wet still needing to be placed in the dryer blankets.

\--

It’s been a few years since that Christmas dinner that’d caused him to pay for his boyfriend’s groceries. They’d exchanged numbers the day after and Levi had driven (so he did have a car!) Eren back to his Uncle’s house where everyone had been asleep, the kitchen a disaster and his mother hadn’t even asked him about who he’d hitchhiked with only thank god Armin’s family were so accommodating of them and how dare his father not tell her where Eren was going in advance though in his father’s defense (but Eren doesn’t mention this to his fuming, angrily whispering mother) he hadn’t known as much as Eren hadn’t known, where he would end up.

He’d spent the rest of his winter break here, visiting Levi almost every day, telling Krista he’d see her later, his cousin more occupied with Ymir and what had happened on Christmas, and he not entirely knowing still what had happened… she appreciated the space.

When he has to go home they don’t see each other as often but Eren leaves his small town in the mountains to visit the city more, and Levi makes various trips (at first with his car that is old, but still runs fine, but is worrying for such a rough trip so Levi takes a bus more frequently) into the mountains where Eren lives and eventually Eren introduces Levi to his parents, as a friend… because while they wouldn’t mind the fact that Levi is a guy, the fact that he’s nearly as old as mentioned parents would probably upset them.

His parents had been unhappy about him spending most of his Christmases now over at Levi’s (to celebrate Levi’s birthday in truth) so this year Eren decides, with their permission to invite Levi over for their family’s Christmas dinner. That way it is… fair.

So far everything is going well. Grace is said. Frieda is bringing out not duck this year, but trying something new with goose, Dirk is loyal to his pork roast, so crispy on the outside. The meat is cut and distributed, the side dishes shared all around, Levi has piled white bread onto his plate, in an attempt to dissuade anyone eagerly putting something onto it that he doesn’t or most certainly can’t eat, though he’s breaking many rules right now. When in Rome right? Eren is policing Levi’s plate too. His family is used to his usual angry way of speaking that nothing is thought much of it when he promptly counters Dirk putting a slice of dripping fat pork roast on Levi’s plate with his own fork, or his older Uncle trying to scoop some buttery creamy mash potatoes, once again, on Levi’s plate, Eren intercepts. Like some knight for “picky” eaters. Krista’s mom is laughing at Eren, saying how alike he is to his mother, who at times had to watch Grisha’s sodium intake because despite being a doctor, he doesn’t always take care of himself.

Levi asked, and listened carefully to the great details he’s given on what food is what and what is in what food and how it was cooked. Deeming what he will eat anyway (is everything cooked in butter?) and what he most certainly shouldn’t or can’t bring himself to eat. Eren’s family delighted to have such an interested guest and an attentive listener at that, someone new is always interesting. And it’s taking attention away from the fact that Ymir is here again. Krista had convinced her family to let her invite Ymir again (Krista had refused to attend Christmas dinner without her otherwise) and everyone is leaving them alone, the mood pleasant and whatever happened those last Christmases ago ancient history.

Ulkin is asking Levi if Christmas really is his birthday and like Eren had, asking if it’s weird to celebrate both Christmas and his birthday on the same day, Florian and Abel listening quietly for an answer that’s yet to come from where they’re eating. It’s a little funny since “kids” eat at one end of the table and the adults the other. Krista sits across from Eren and they sorta bridge the gap with Frieda and Dirk, Frieda sits aside Krista and Ymir the other, while for Eren he’s aside his mother, and Levi the other… it’s a little funny since Levi is sitting closer to the kids side than he is. The arrangement typically changes with little modification, sometimes Krista’s mom sits next to her but rarely since they don’t really get along. Whoever had decided that Krista’s mom sits as close as she is to Frieda’s mom hadn’t been thinking this through or thought bygones be bygones.

Because soon everything goes to hell again when-

Frieda’s mother mentions how good it is that the kids feel comfortable bringing their _friends_ over. She knew Krista would not let it go. Krista’s trying to, clutching the cutlery and scowling, a most fearsome expression for her face since typically she’s always trying to look nice and smile, cheer you up, support you. It’s pissing Eren off that they’re starting this shit up again even though he still doesn’t know all the details-

Krista is going to tell them, as she did that previous year, resolute, and bravely, because Ymir is besides her. Ymir looks like she’s about to say everything she promised Krista she wouldn’t say because like Krista told her what Ymir has to say is ‘not pleasant at all’ but Ymir is tired of having to act ‘pleasant’, about to stand when Krista’s mother starts screaming at Frieda’s mother off the bat, asking her how dare she infer that. Uncle Rod trying to come between them to stop the crying and fighting that’s bound to happen. It’s too late. Frieda’s mother saying again doesn’t it run in the blood? Since Eren’s mother and her had had that thing back in high school- she’d seen them- and then those other times- those other girls- Eren can feel his father looking at him, so this is what he’d wanted to hide from Eren all those years ago… he wonders how he should react. In truth Eren would much prefer if his father didn’t try to hide or protect him from anything anymore. He’s not a kid. 

Besides what his mom had done back in high school sounds like something he’s been doing.

More arguments start up, Carla and Rod are talking intensely and lowly with the other and Eren is sure one of them was going to reach the knife if Freida hadn’t put it away, she’s checking on the younger kids, taking the youngest out with Dirk to avoid them having to see or hear a conflict they don’t understand but won’t like because who likes to see their family fight amongst themselves? It’s not the usual with this family, though it’s starting to be. Krista has a blank expression on her face. Ymir puts a hand to her own forehead, trying to convince Krista that they should just leave while everyone else is preoccupied with their ancient history and homophobic bullshit. Only his older Uncle, himself and Levi are still bothering to eat through this, while there is food to be eaten back at Levi’s house they’re returning to tonight he also remembers how hungry he’d been the last time this had happened.

Levi stops eating to finally answer Ulkin’s questions, speaking as he typically does is however, enough to cut through the erupted volcano of yelling and screaming.

“It’s not difficult. Since I’m Jewish I don’t typically celebrate Christmas, so I only celebrate my birthday on the 25th.”

Levi turns from Ulkin and continues eating the goose he’d been digging into.

Eren had not breathed a word to his family that Levi is Jewish, especially to his close minded extended family.

Ymir mouths something like ‘oh my god’, the most vicious, happy smile on her face as Krista turns to look in alarm at her father, as everyone has, the head of the house-

The silence that has fallen is even heavier than before as Uncle Rod stands, on the verge of words, something he’s cut off from as Eren stands and addresses his parents.

“Mother. Father. I’m dating Mr Levi.”

Hell breaks loose once more.

And the old arguments start up again.

His mother looks like she already knew and is coldly unleashing her vicious words on Rod this very moment, telling him if he dares says _anything_ rude or demeaning about _her son_ and _his boyfriend_ she is going to make certain Rod would never be able to say anything ever again- his father is accepting the wine the older uncle has poured for him, Eren gets a glass for Levi who sips at it, uncaring about the current loud and angry surrounding like he’s all done it before. Eren wonders what sort of household Levi grew up in.

Levi shares his wine with Eren and Eren can hear his father’s heart breaking.

\--

Inevitably they get kicked out.

Levi and Eren walk side by side behind the also walking side by side Ymir and Krista, they’re headed over to Sasha’s which is literally just gunna be swarming with people going in and out, food, food, more food, loud music, Connie badly rapping his version of some Christmas carol, a lot of alcohol, more food.

Ymir is holding Krista’s hand who looks less worried with Ymir’s assurance- that they will have a good Christmas and yes her family can suck it. Eren feels a little bad that his father is still at Krista’s place, as his mother refuses to back down from whatever it was she was arguing about and who it was with… at the time they’d been asked to leave. Eren is sure his mother will win.

Ymir whistles low.

Addressing Levi.

“Damn though, you got some balls. Y’know least with Krista we go to the same school, we’re in the same class, we’re _the same age_ but you guys like-”

“Oh? Are you the same age? I was under the impression you were much older than Krista,” is Levi’s reply to Ymir who turns scarlet. Krista giggles. Ymir gets that all the time. Ymir sounds a little offended though she’s trying to play it off as fuck no not really.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa now- look I really appreciate what you guys did back there but I can’t let that slide. I’m not an old bag yet, _old man_.”

Krista stops laughing, scolding Ymir at once- “Ymir! Don’t be so rude! You just said so yourself, Eren and Mr Levi really helped us back there.”

Ymir huffs and shrugs, changing the topic, complaining on how hungry she is. She’d been too pissed to do anything than pick at her food. Levi compliments Frieda’s goose and Krista beams. She loves her older sister.

Eren looks at Ymir’s and Krista’s joined hands, they’re both wearing gloves. Smart with how cold it is. He looks at his and Levi’s joined hands, both of them had forgotten their gloves. He is always forgetting his gloves. When they reach Sasha’s Krista rings the bell and Ymir just hollers for Sasha to get her ass over here they’ve come to eat all the damn good food. As this happens, Levi draws Eren closer to him and brings his hands close to his face, breathing on them and rubbing them for the time being before they enter Sasha’s home-

Sasha is overjoyed to see Krista and Ymir coming to party at her place, she starts to wave at Eren whom they brought too! Until she sees who’s with Eren and she almost shuts the door on them all in terror.

Ymir had put her hand within the opening and is now trying to pry the door open, they’ve heard all about it, multiple times-

“Dammit Sasha it’s been years, get over it already, Connie doesn’t make the coupons any more alright! OPEN THE DOOR YOU POTATO HEAD FILLED DIMWIT-”

The door flings open as Sasha lets it go to go warn Connie about who just came over, Connie who is indeed rapping about jingle bells within.

\--

Back at Levi’s place.

They’re sitting on the sofa. Cups of tea cooling before them. Eren has not eaten all the cookies this time.

Levi is frowning at the carefully, but gaudily wrapped Christmas present in his lap. Since the first birthday they’d spent together he’d wanted the same present every year; though he often gets the present not only on his birthday but near every time they see each other, sometimes when they’d barely just been reunited after not seeing each other for weeks. Levi is highly skilled on unwrapping the same present every year, all the time. At various locations and under many sorts of conditions.

This is the first year Eren has bothered to get him a Christmas gift too.

“There really wasn’t any need, we could just have sex more than once tonight-”

Eren looks more than a little annoyed.

“That happens anyway. Mr Levi, will you please just open the gift already?”

Levi says something about how kids these days are so disrespectful to their elders and Eren tells him to say that to him, exactly as he had just now later tonight when he’s on his knees sucking him off.

Eren is too pleased when Levi has nothing to say to that and is no longer frowning as he looks at the gift Eren gave him. His expression is deadpan as ever though his tone of voice is a little amused-

“Socks?”

“Since you’re always warming my hands I figured I would warm your feet sir.”

Levi nods.

“Thoughtful.”

Eren leans forward to accept Levi’s kiss, mouth hot and wet on the other, Levi sets the socks on the table and pushes Eren against the cushions of the sofa.

“Hey Eren. I would think it’s me who would worry more about cold feet than you. That’s a bad thing to have. Especially in the future.”

Eren pushes Levi off of him onto the floor. Levi startled that Eren managed it despite his heavy weight (Eren’s gotten use to it now). Eren looks down at Levi on the floor, also surprised he managed it though he had been pushing Levi off him for what Levi had just said.

Levi kneels before Eren, letting Eren check his heads for any bumps or bruises though he’d only lightly knocked his head against the table corner. But he likes Eren fussing over him, especially from this position Levi gets to see Eren’s chest in his face. Levi presses a kiss over Eren’s heart and Eren smacks his head, before pressing a kiss to the bump he’d caused, and not the coffee table.

Levi is kissing up to Eren’s neck, pressing him into the sofa again as Eren asks him-

“So what did you get me for Christmas, Levi?”

Levi starts to unbuckle the belt at his trousers.

“Let me show you, Eren.”

Eren draws his hands over Levi’s.

Kissing him again.

“Happy Birthday, Levi.”


End file.
